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Ali Fazal bags lead role opposite Judi Dench in Hollywood film

Bollywood actor Ali Fazal, who played a brief role in Vin
Diesel starrer action film ‘Fast & Furious 7’, has bagged the lead role
opposite Academy Award winning actress Judi Dench in an upcoming Hollywood film
to be directed by Stephen Frears.

Titled ‘Victoria & Abdul’, the movie is based on Shrabani
Basu’s book ‘Victoria & Abdul: The True Story of the Queen’s Closest
Confidant’, which chronicles the true story of an unexpected friendship forged
between an Indian clerk Abdul Karim and Queen Victoria.

Ali will be seen in the role of Abdul, while Judi, who played
Queen Victoria in the 1997 film ‘Her Majesty Mrs Brown’, will once again essay the
character.

Sharing his excitement, the ‘Fukrey’ actor told Bombay
Times, “I think they liked my hold on Hindi, English and Urdu. I am living my
dream. Abdul is a guy from Agra who goes to London and is thrown into a fancy
place all of a sudden. That's just what happened to me. Stephen liked my
audition and I did reading sessions with Judi Dench."

He said he hasn’t read the book on which the movie is based,
but has gone through a few letters exchanged between the Queen and Abdul from
the archives. "I didn't want the book to influence Stephen's vision or the
script. I wanted to retain the innocence that Abdul had. From teaching the
Queen Hindi and Urdu to becoming her confidante and political advisor — they
shared a unique relationship,” Ali added.

Set in the 1800s, Abdul Karim, a 24-year-old assistant clerk
in Agra Central Jail, travels to England to wait at tables during the Queen’s
Golden Jubilee. He found favour with the Queen herself and became her teacher,
instructing her in Urdu and Hindi and Indian affairs. Her intense and
controversial relationship with Karim led to a near-revolt in the royal
household.

The movie is being produced by Working Title Films will be
shot in India, Scotland and the Isle of Wight.

Currently, Ali is busy promoting his upcoming film ‘Happy
Bhaag Jayegi’ which also stars Diana Penty and Abhay Deol. It is scheduled to
release on August 19, after which he will begin shooting for ‘Victoria &
Abdul’. He is also growing a beard for the role.